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What I’ve Learned About Juicing

Yes, I admit. I’m starting to get caught up in the juicing craze. I never thought it would be this fun to juice things: fruits, veggies, roots… practically everything! I feel like a chemist, coming up with different and creative concoctions. Juicing is a great way to get nutrients from fruits and vegetables because it contains highly concentrated minerals, enzymes, and vitamins that are quickly absorbed by the bloodstream; thus, the digestive organs can rest and regenerate. However, juicing also divides the nutrients: the juice and the pulp, which has nutritious fiber. To get the most out of juicing, use the pulp in other recipes, like smoothies, muffins, breads, and soups.

Juicing can also be expensive because the actual juicers are quite pricey and the amount of produce needed to make a jar of juice can add up. My juicer is one of the more inexpensive juicers out there, and so far I think it is great (granted I’ve only had it for a month). It is the Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain and it is $99 on Amazon.com. I have found it to be effective; it is easy to clean and the juice comes out smooth. To keep juicing expenses down, pick vegetables and fruits that are in season. Or, choose cheap produce to juice, like bags of carrots, spinach, or cucumbers.

The first time I turned on the juicer, I screamed as I put carrots and apples down the tube into the rapidly gnashing teeth of the juicer. That machine scares me… But now that I’ve gotten the hang of it, juicing is not as intimidating. Here is a recipe for one of my concoctions (try it if you dare)…

This juice is sure to rejuvenate, energize, and boost immunity! Cucumbers keep the body hydrated and have vitamin B, which energizes the system. Pears have anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, and energy benefits. Like the pear, Ginger also has anti-inflammatory benefits and provides gastrointestinal relief. Ginger serves as an immune boost! Lemons are rich with vitamin C and helps detox the body. Mint boosts the immune system while relieving aches, pains, and indigestion.

2 Cucumbers without ends

2 Pears without core

1/2 Lemon peeled

A slice of ginger

A handful of mint leaves

Just put these in the juicer and let it do its magic. The mint leaves were hard for me to juice; my first try the leaves went everywhere, except into the blades. I would suggest stuffing the leaves into the pear or lemon, so that they have no choice but to enter the juicer’s blades. I put the pulp into my blender with some frozen berries and made a delicious smoothie!

Store juice in airtight containers (I’m going to start collecting glass jars to store mine in). I have heard that juice is the most nutritious the day you juice it and that you should not keep it more than a few days. Also, I would like to add that I don’t recommend juice as a meal replacement. The body needs substance, juicing is just an extra boost of nutritious goodies for the body.